Paid Sick Leave Laws: What Your Production Should Know

While there are currently no federal legal requirements for paid sick leave benefits, which allow employees to take time off to take care of health issues and differ from both PTO and vacation time, several states and cities allow employees to earn paid sick time. 

New paid leave policies took effect for Illinois, Minnesota, and California as of 1.1.2024.

Illinois - Paid leave took effect 1.1.2024 for all Employees working in Illinois. Employers can front load paid leave at the beginning of the year if they choose. 

• How is paid leave accrued and paid? Employees began accruing paid leave on 1.1.2024 at the rate of 1 hour per 40 hours worked, up to 40 hours of paid leave per year (more if allowed by employer).

Paid leave is paid at the Employee's normal hourly rate of pay.

• How can paid leave be used? Employees may take paid leave for any reason of their choosing. Employees can begin to use accrued leave on 3.31.2024. New hires after 1.1.2024 may begin to use accrued leave after a 90 day waiting period.

Employers must permit Employees to take leave in increments of a minimum of 2 hours (and can choose to allow leave to be taken in smaller increments).

• How much paid leave can be carried over year to year? Employers are not required to carry over any unused leave year to year if they choose to frontload hours; otherwise, they must allow Employees to carry over 40 hours of unused accrued leave.

For more information about Illinois paid leave, visit the official Illinois paid leave site.

Minnesota - Earned Sick and Safe Leave took effect 1.1.2024 for all Employees who work at least 80 hours/year for a Minnesota employer. Employers can front load paid leave at the beginning of the year if they choose. There are two methods for frontloading leave:

1. Employer front loads 48 hours of leave and pays out any unused leave at year end.
2. Employer front loads 80 hours of leave (no payout of unused leave is required).

• How is paid leave accrued and paid? Employees began accruing paid leave on 1.1.2024 (or the first day of employment if after 1.1.2024) at the rate of 1 hour per 30 hours worked. Employees may accrue up to 48 hours of paid leave per year (more if allowed by employer). Employees can begin using leave as it is accrued and there is no waiting period for new hires. Leave is paid at the Employee's normal hourly rate of pay.

• How can paid leave be used? Employees may take paid leave for medical care of self/family, illness, domestic abuse, sexual assault, stalking, or closures due to a weather emergency.
• How much paid leave can be carried over year to year? If employers front load leave, they are not required to carry over any unused leave year to year; otherwise any unused leave carries over year to year, up to a maximum of 80 hours of leave. 

For more information about Minnesota paid leave, visit the official Minnesota paid leave site.

California - As of 1.1.2024, new changes are now in effect for Employers in California. Learn more here.

✅ If you have any questions about payroll laws in the state where you’re filming, or production payroll, please contact us. 

Paid Sick Leave Laws Across All U.S. States

Arizona

How does sick pay accrue? 1 hour of paid sick leave accrues per 30 hours worked. Learn more

California

How does sick pay accrue? 1 hour of paid sick leave accrues per 30 hours worked. Learn more

Additional information: Berkeley, Emeryville, Los Angeles, Oakland, San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Monica, West Hollywood

Colorado

How does sick pay accrue? 1 hour of paid sick leave accrues per 30 hours worked. Learn more

Connecticut

How does sick pay accrue? 1 hour of paid sick leave accrues per 40 hours worked. Learn more

District of Columbia

How does sick pay accrue?

100+ EEs: 1 hour of paid sick leave accrues per 37 hours worked

25-99 EEs: 1 hour of paid sick leave accrues per 43 hours worked

1-24 EEs: 1 hour of paid sick leave accrues per 87 hours worked.

Learn more

Illinois

How does sick pay accrue? 1 hour of paid sick leave accrues per 40 hours worked. Learn more Additional information: Chicago

Maine

How does sick pay accrue? 1 hour of paid sick leave accrues per 40 hours worked. Learn more

Maryland

How does sick pay accrue? 1 hour of paid sick leave accrues per 30 hours worked. Learn more

Massachusetts

How does sick pay accrue? 1 hour of paid sick leave accrues per 30 hours worked. Learn more

Michigan

How does sick pay accrue? 1 hour of paid sick leave accrues per 35 hours worked. Learn more

Minnesota

How does sick pay accrue? 1 hour of paid sick leave accrues per 30 hours worked. Learn more

Additional information: Bloomington, Minneapolis, St. Paul

Nevada

How does sick pay accrue? 0.01923 hours of paid sick leave accrues per 1 hour worked. Learn more

New Jersey

How does sick pay accrue? 1 hour of paid sick leave accrues per 30 hours worked. Learn more

New Mexico

How does sick pay accrue? 1 hour of paid sick leave accrues per 30 hours worked. Learn more

New York

How does sick pay accrue? 1 hour of paid sick leave accrues per 30 hours worked. Learn more

Oregon

How does sick pay accrue? 1 hour of paid sick leave accrues per 30 hours worked. Learn more

Pennsylvania

How does sick pay accrue? There is not a state-wide policy. However, there are policies for both Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.

Rhode Island

How does sick pay accrue? 1 hour of paid sick leave accrues per 35 hours worked. Learn more

Vermont

How does sick pay accrue? 1 hour of paid sick leave accrues per 52 hours worked. Learn more

Washington

How does sick pay accrue? 1 hour of paid sick leave accrues per 40 hours worked. Learn more

Additional information: Seattle, Tacoma

This information in this communication is general in nature, and is not intended, nor should it be construed, as legal, accounting, tax or other professional advice rendered by GreenSlate, LLC. The reader should contact his or her attorney, CPA, or tax professional prior to taking any action based upon this information.